Lepak is a term used by Singapore street youths to describe their hanging-out behaviors, which usually involve other street-involved friends. While lepaking, street youths often develop cliques to form pseudo-families, also known as street families, that offer them a sense of belonging and protection to “survive” on the streets. However, how exactly street youths from an urban city like Singapore decide whom they lepak with before and during the COVID-19 global pandemic is unknown. Using the grounded theory approach, this qualitative study explored the consideration factors for choosing hangout companions among street youths in Singapore.

1. Street youth ? Research ? Singapore.